Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a drawing by Antonio Caro. It dates from 1993 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1993, this work by Colombian conceptualist Antonio Caro consists of a sheet of paper marked with a reddish-brown pigment derived from achiote. The surface bears handwritten text, simple geometric symbols, and an abstract, tangled line that suggests a knot or vegetal form. The piece functions as a drawing rather than a painted image, emphasizing the immediacy of the marks.
Subject & Meaning
The central inscription reads “Manuel Quintín Lame,” a name associated with indigenous activism in Colombia. Adjacent to the text are three star‑like figures each centered by a dot, and a chaotic line that may evoke entanglement or growth. The juxtaposition of personal name, symbolic marks, and organic scribble invites reflection on cultural identity and political struggle.
Technique & Style
Caro employed achiote, a natural red‑brown dye, applying it directly onto paper. The pigment stains unevenly, producing a raw, unrefined surface that foregrounds the materiality of the medium. The hand‑drawn lettering and crude symbols are executed in a spontaneous, sketch‑like manner, aligning with the artist’s practice of using everyday materials to convey conceptual ideas.
History & Provenance
Antonio Caro, active since the late 1960s, has consistently used unconventional media to comment on Colombian social and political issues. This 1993 drawing fits within that trajectory, extending his engagement with accessible, low‑cost materials to reach a broad audience. The work remains part of his oeuvre that documents the artist’s ongoing dialogue with national concerns.
Context
Produced during a period of heightened conflict and indigenous mobilization in Colombia, the piece references Manuel Quintín Lame, a historic figure who advocated for indigenous rights. By foregrounding his name alongside abstract symbols, Caro situates the drawing within the broader discourse on marginalization and resistance that characterized the early 1990s Colombian art scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Antonio José Caro Lopera (10 December 1950 – 29 March 2021) was a Colombian conceptual artist who created works since the late 1960s.
